At 18 months, Bucky, a Neopolitan Mastiff, is still not full grown. He will weigh 175 pounds by the time he's 2, said owner Shana Kohler, who described him as "big and gentle."

By Blacktie Staff

The first-ever Pet Fair Bone-nanza turned the the North Metro Animal Hospital and Fun Center into a virtual zoo May 11.

Dogs, cats, crabs, scorpions and other exotic creatures filled the grounds at the 28-year-old animal center.

The fair was edcucational -- pet health-care experts gave talks and clinics -- and fun -- there was live music, a giant slide and booths with barbecue and cotton candy.

The Bone-nanza, a benefit for the Max Fund, Guide Dogs of Denver and the Denver Dumb Friends League -- was the brainchild of Theresa Garcia, North Metro's administrator and the daughter of founder Edward Garcia, DVM.

Theresa has been in the forefront of Web cam development. Not only has she installed web cams in the kennels so that owners can check in on Fido when they're vacationing in the Bahamas, she also has a 360-degree camera trained on the play yard and another in the surgery room at the hospital.

Technician Pat Sanders explained that pet owners can control the cameras' angles from their laptops.

In 1974, Dr. Garcia opened North Metro Emergency Animal Hospital, the first 24-hour animal hospital in the Rocky Mountain Region. The staff of 30 included the first Board Certified veterinarians in the region, as well as paramedics, office staff, and kennel technicians. North Metro had four surgery rooms, a full kennel, and x-ray facilities before such services were offered at most other veterinary clinics.